Suffering Happens.

RADICAL ACCEPTANCE:  ANTIDOTE TO SUFFERING

The body provides real time information through sensation and instinctive emotion, all of which is potentially valuable (and inherently good).  Yet built into our bodies is a dualistic way of reacting to self and other designed to promote survival.  Whatever is perceived to be of positive value brings security and/or comfort, hence is desirable.  That experienced as negative results in threat and/or discomfort, and should be avoided.  The mind processes unbiased raw sensory information from a perspective of positive vs. negative, creating association, discrimination, categorization, and judgement, and linking each to an emotional feel or gut response.  Behavioral strategies are adopted to enhance positive and reduce negative consequences, i.e. to effect a favorable outcome. 

Further evaluation of the positive or negative results of the behaviors and strategies themselves leads to conclusions of success vs. failure, fostering the development of self judgement and criticism.  By taking our mental processes seriously, believing they should get us what we want, we add another mental perspective  -  that our performance is the source of any failure, so we intensify effort, try new strategies, or give up. When interactions with others are unrewarding, now another party may be be perceived to be the source(s) of failure, sowing the seeds of interpersonal conflict.  It would seem this system has suffering built into it.

So, are we doomed to suffer?  Find out more by viewing my eBooks on this website